Greenway Facts
Learn more about the City of Santa Rosa’s updated Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan here.
FAQs
Q: Where does the Campaign get its money?
A: The Campaign conducts regular fundraising campaigns. Financial support and in-kind services have been received from over 30 organizations and over 400 individual donors.
Q: Is there a Plan for the Greenway?
A: In 2011, the City of Santa Rosa added a Class 1 Bicycle Trail stretching from Spring Lake Park to Montgomery H.S. to its Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan. In 2019, the Master Plan was amended to show Class 1 Trails on all the planned multi-use paths on the Greenway. See Figure 5-4 on page 88 of the Master Plan.
In July 2019 the Santa Rosa City Council approved a General Plan Amendment and zoning change for the entire 57-acre Southeast Greenway property, concluding the three-year community planning process highlighted in “ABOUT US / Timeline “. It includes 47 acres of parks and open space and 10 acres of housing and neighborhood retail, as shown on the “Southeast Greenway Illustrative Map”, Figure 2-4 on page 39 of the General Plan.
Q: What are the expected benefits of the Greenway
A: The Greenway will offer several community benefits that include:
Economic Vitality: Studies have shown that Greenways are an economic asset to the communities in which they are located. They attract tourists who are interested in outdoor recreation and have the potential to improve the quality of life for all residents, making it easier for local companies to recruit new employees.
Health and Recreation: The Greenway will be readily accessible and easy to use because it is close to where people live, work, shop, and go to school. It will provide much needed outdoor space for urban apartment and condominium dwellers, bringing environmental equity to the local neighborhood. It will provide safe and easy bike and pedestrian access to Howarth Park, Spring Lake Regional Park, and Trione-Annadel State Park.
Education: There are 6 schools within a half-mile of the Greenway and 8 schools within a one-mile radius. Providing safe ways to walk and bike to school offers health benefits while reducing local traffic congestion and improving air quality. Local educators are excited about using the Greenway to provide outdoor education to all City and County school children, as well as opportunities for community involvement.
Active Transportation: The Greenway will provide a key link in our county’s network of trails, linking with Sonoma Valley trails to the east, the SMART train and its associated trails north and south, and the Prince Memorial Greenway and West County trails reaching all the way to Forestville. People of all ages will be able to ride safely in pleasant surroundings while reducing their carbon footprint.
Environmental Restoration: The Greenway will provide the opportunity to restore native trees and grasses, providing carbon sequestration, aquifer recharge and improved watershed. Additionally, it will protect critical habitat for wildlife and wildfire interface protection.
Q: Will there be any housing developed in the Southeast Greenway?
A: The City Plan designates mid-density housing and mixed-use development for 9.7 acres of the property. The Greenway Campaign has asked that such housing be compatible and integrated with existing uses of the Greenway. Additionally, the Campaign wants any potential housing development to be designed in a way that retains views to the surrounding hills and minimizes the visual impact along streets crossing the Greenway. See “Southeast Greenway Illustrative Map”, Figure 2-4 on page 39 of the General Plan.
Q: Will the Greenway be a wildlife corridor?
A: The Greenway already serves as a corridor for some wildlife movement, and this function may be strengthened with creek restoration and the planting of additional native vegetation that provides shelter and food for wildlife.
Q: What will it cost to acquire the property?
A: The cost will be determined by appraisal of the properties and through negotiation between Caltrans and the City of Santa Rosa and Greenway Partners.
Q: How will funds be raised for acquisition and development? Will the cost of acquiring the Greenway take money away from other City projects?
A: Acquisition and development funding will come from a variety of sources that will include both public and non-profit agencies, foundations, individual and corporate donations, and grants from County, State, and Federal sources. A matching grant from the Sonoma County Ag and Open Space District of $1,000,000 has provided seed money for the acquisition. The Sonoma Land Trust and Greenway Campaign are raising funds to meet and exceed the match.
Q: How will maintenance and care of the Greenway be funded?
A: The Greenway will be a publicly owned park managed by the City of Santa Rosa Recreation and Parks Department and the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department. The Greenway Campaign and Greenway Partners are committed to working with the City to raise additional funds for park planning, development, and volunteer stewardship programs, thus assuring future maintenance of the Greenway.