A grassroot story

1950s-1970s

Caltrans acquires a 4-mile strip of land to extend Highway 12 through what is now Spring Lake Park, and through what is called the Santa Rosa Southeast Greenway.

1962

The Sonoma County Water Agency constructs Spring Lake for flood control purposes.

1973-75

The County constructs recreational facilities and Spring Lake Park opens. State Parks acquires land for Annadel State Park.

1989

Caltrans removes the bridge across Spring Lake from the Highway 12 realignment plan.

1990s

City of Santa Rosa removes freeway extension from the General Plan.

2009

The Southeast Greenway Campaign is launched with the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy serving as fiscal agent.

2010

• The UC Berkeley Graduate Urban Design Studio adopts the Greenway as class project and presents their findings, Beyond the Freeway – Alternative Futures for Santa Rosa’s Southeast Greenway, at community meeting attended by 125+ people.
• SEG Campaign conducts 20+ house and community meetings.

2011

• The American Institute of Architects selects the Greenway for a community planning process led by a national team of experts. 300 + community members participate. The final report, Imagine…A Greenway to Spring Lake and Beyond, serves as a concept plan and is available at SoutheastGreenway.org.
• Santa Rosa City Council amends Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan to include a Class 1 bike path from Montgomery H.S. to Spring Lake Park.

2012

• At the request of the Greenway Campaign, the Santa Rosa City Council asks Caltrans to consider non-motorized transportation and additional community uses for the Highway 12 extension property.
• The Greenway campaign convenes community partners to discuss strategies to make the Southeast Greenway a reality. Participants include the City of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County Regional Parks, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Sonoma County Transportation Authority, Sonoma County Water Agency, LandPaths, and local State legislative representatives.

2013

• The Santa Rosa City Council adds the Southeast Greenway to its strategic goals and objectives.
• Caltrans Right of Way (ROW) officials advise the Greenway Campaign to assemble community partners and come back to them with a proposal for acquisition of the property.
• Caltrans issues a draft Highway 12 Transportation Concept Report, stating that the land is no longer needed for a freeway extension.

2014

• State Senator Noreen Evans sponsors SB 1095, requesting that Caltrans declare the ROW as excess land and transfer it to local government agencies for community purposes. The bill does not pass the Appropriations Committee.
• The City of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County Water Agency, Sonoma County Regional Parks, LandPaths and the Southeast Greenway Campaign sign a Mutual Letter of Intent and form a partnership with the intention of acquiring, planning, developing and maintaining the SE Greenway. The Letter of Intent receives unanimous support from the Santa Rosa City Council and the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.
• The Santa Rosa City Council approves $100,000 in the Community Development Department’s 2014-15 budget for planning services in support of acquisition of the Greenway property. The Department initiates an analysis of the Greenway property that includes current conditions, challenges and opportunities.
• The Sonoma Land Trust offers their expertise to help the Community Partnership acquire the property and secure funding for acquisition.
• The California Transportation Commission votes to rescind the proposed Hwy 12 ROW from the freeway plan, freeing Caltrans to begin the process of declaring the property surplus and disposing of it.
• Greenway community partners begin meeting regularly in preparation for working with Caltrans to acquire the property.

2015

• Caltrans declares property surplus and talks begin to work with the City and Partners for eventual acquisition. MOU gives first right of refusal and agreement to keep 57 acres intact for sale.
• Sonoma Land Trust becomes fiscal sponsor to the Greenway Campaign.
• Campaign creates by-laws and elects official officers.

2016

• Sonoma County Agricultural and Open Space District award $1,000,000. Matching grant to the Greenway project.
• City retained Placeworks Consulting to begin General Plan Amendment and EIR.
• Technical Advisory Committee is created to consult on the GPA.
• City recommends adding a housing element to the Greenway.
• Design presented by Campaign Committee and accepted into Plan for 244 housing units with mixed used zoning.

2017

• Placeworks achieves Preferred Alternative Plan which is presented to the Santa Rosa Planning Commission. Unanimous approval.
• Appraisal guidelines developed to satisfy Caltrans & Open Space District requirements.
• Public comment request additional traffic study.
• County fires in October prevented the project from moving forward.

2018

• Fundraising continues to reach $1M matching goal for Open Space Grant.
• Santa Rosa Bike & Pedestrian Master Plan update – Campaign gives input to assure greatest connectivity to all transportation corridors.
• Traffic study completed by Placeworks
• S. R. Economic Development & Planning Department restart the GPA/ EIR in October

2019

• In January, the Revised Draft EIR is made available to the public for review and comment.
• Planning Commission holds a public hearing on the Revised Draft EIR.
• City Council approves an update to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, which designates as Class 1 routes the “Multi-Use Paths” in the proposed General Plan map for the Southeast Greenway.
• Forty-five-day public comment period opens on traffic study only; ending on March 14, 2019
• Second traffic & noise study presented to Planning Commission
• The Planning Commission considers the proposed General Plan Amendment and Rezoning and recommends approval of the project to the City Council.
• On July 9, the City Council holds a public hearing and then adopts resolutions certifying the Final EIR and adopting the General Plan Amendment and Rezoning.
• Sonoma Land Trust and the Greenway Campaign held a family event in Howarth Park, ‘Child in the Wild’ with a jumpy house, face painting, native animal show, music and lots of other activities for kids.

2020

• City Council approves a request to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) to designate the Southeast Greenway as a Priority Conservation Area for protecting natural habitats, open space and public access. The request was approved by MTC and ABAG, making the Southeast Greenway eligible for future grants funding protection activities.
• Title report and mapping works begins on all 57 acres of land zoned for development & parklands by Sonoma Water.
• City Council approves a five-year extension of the Memorandum of Understanding between Caltrans and the Southeast Greenway Community Partners.

2021

• Board of Directors for the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (Ag + Open Space) approved the final draft of the Vital Lands Initiative – a long-term strategic plan that will guide the work of the district with a sweeping set of policies and guidelines that will inform decisions through 2031.
• Spring 2021 title reports and mapping for 54 parcels project transferred to a professional land surveying company, Cinquini and Passarino to complete this daunting task.
• The City of Santa Rosa and Caltrans sign a Purchase and Sales Agreement
• Campaign Committee members updated the website
• Greenway Campaign and Sonoma Land Trust continued the popular “Child in the Wild” event.

2022

• The long process of reviewing maps, files and title reports for the 47 parcels on the Greenway to prepare for the appraisal is complete.
• CalTrans wants one buyer only; City to hold title to the entire ‘parklands’ which is a total of 49 acres.

2023

• With the help of Mike McGuire, the City of Santa Rosa and partners Sonoma Land Trust and Southeast Greenway Campaign finalize agreement with Caltrans to sell the Southeast Greenway property.
• The 47 acres are appraised and identified as “Land for Public Purpose in Perpetuity.”
• In July the City of Santa Rosa City Council votes to accept the transfer deal.
• City Real Estate continues to negotiate the sale of the ROW to the City; exclusive of developable parcels. They shall be sold off by Caltrans directly
• Appraisals are completed for the designated parklands and parcels zoned for development.
• Southeast Greenway mourns the loss of Co Chair Bob Gaiser
• Sonoma Land trust and Greenway extend fiscal sponsorship through the planning process

2024

• The Greenway project is officially transferred from the real Estate office to Rec and Park.
• A new MOU will be drafted between the City, Sonoma Land trust and the Greenway campaign. In February, the Sonoma County Ag + Open Space Board of Directors votes to allocate up to $1 million in Matching Grant funds to support the acquisition of the property.
• California Transportation Commission approves sale.
• Santa Rosa transportation Active transportation office received a technical grant to study connectivity between the Joe Rodota trail and the Greenway.
• Sonoma County Ag & Open Space District and Sonoma Water draft easements agreement with the City of Santa Rosa Recreation and Parks Department.
• Linda Proulx, founding partner and Greenway Campaign Co Chair passed away in October
• October 2024, Caltrans transfers land title for the Greenway to the City of Santa Rosa. Escrow is closed, Partners MOU is disbanded.
• Celebration of the new park in Santa Rosa hosted by the City

2025

• The Greenway project is officially transferred from the real Estate office to Rec and Park.
• A new MOU will be drafted between the City, Sonoma Land trust and the Greenway campaign. InFundraising for the Master Plan and CEQA
• RFP solicitation of consultant to deliver the Master Plan