County to Study Potential Rezoning for Urban Housing Sites

Permit Sonoma is publishing a Notice of Preparation (NOP), notifying responsible agencies and interested parties of its intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to analyze sites proposed for possible rezoning to facilitate the development of housing. The sites are located in Urban Service Areas and a list of sites and maps are available in the NOP. 

The NOP marks the beginning of a 30-day scoping period (March 11, 2020 through April 10, 2020) during which interested parties may submit comments to guide the County’s analysis. The NOP is posted at the project website. Comments can be submitted via the project website. 

Members of the public can ask questions and submit comments in person at a scoping meeting on April 2, 2020, from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 575 Administration Drive 102A, Santa Rosa. The scoping meeting presentation will be available after the meeting on the project website. 

This project is part of the County’s ongoing work to increase housing opportunities in urban areas and comply with State law requiring all cities and counties to adequately plan for housing at all income levels. The EIR process will further refine the sites to be proposed for rezoning. Potential zoning designations include R2 (Medium Density Residential) and WH (Workforce Housing Combining Zone). The R2 designation would allow a range of housing types including single-family residences, cottage housing developments, and multifamily housing. The WH designation allows commercial and residential development on commercial and industrial land.